tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603Sun, 11 Mar 2018 08:52:42 +0000susan in stitchesblathering on about knitting, quilting, spinning, crochet, my family, cats, goats, the dog, singing, clogging, and living in The Bushhttp://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (catsmum)Blogger929125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-3269999509056975573Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:42:00 +00002011-12-19T12:47:48.406+11:00Christmas has moved<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MpPb2PRxI-4/Tu6XusvjUfI/AAAAAAAAHmU/_zmfgVU5RK0/s1600/DSCF5474.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MpPb2PRxI-4/Tu6XusvjUfI/AAAAAAAAHmU/_zmfgVU5RK0/s320/DSCF5474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687650207955898866" border="0" /></a><br />If you've been missing your annual dose[s] of Catsmum Christmas Insanity, it may be because you haven't caught up with the move over to<a href="http://susaninstitches.wordpress.com/"> the new blog</a>.<br />Please come visit for some shortbread, mincepies, general christmas cheer [ and of course more santas, snowmen and snowflakes than you could shake a reindeer at ]http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-has-moved.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-7679706830427095438Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:42:00 +00002011-07-18T22:49:08.949+10:00One Door Closesand another one opens<br /><br />From today I will be<a href="http://susaninstitches.wordpress.com/"> blogging over here</a><br /><br />I do hope that you'll follow me over to the new abode, and see how the furniture looks in its new home. It may take me a while to get it all arranged to my satisfaction but we're mostly unpacked and the kettle is on, so come on over.http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/07/one-door-closes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-9054828318932665016Wed, 13 Jul 2011 07:59:00 +00002011-07-13T18:55:04.336+10:00decisions decisionsFor some time now, I've known that I was almost out of photo storage space on this 'ere blog, and because of that, perhaps haven't posted as often, or with as many pics, of late.<br /><br />Moving across to another blog is hardly onerous ... <a href="http://bellsknits.com/">Bells</a> did it quite <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">successfully</span> and <a href="http://caitymakes.com/">so did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Caity</span></a> ... but illogical or not, I've resisted having to make the move from this space where I took my first tentative baby steps into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">blogiverse</span>.<br /><br />I can't put it off much longer though:<br />As of this post, I'm up to 99% of photo storage so it's going to happen soon, and yes, I do realise that I can put pix in by linking to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Flickr</span> account, but I tried that and that doesn't always want to co-operate, so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">pffft</span> ... some day very soon, you'll come by and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">there'll</span> be a note pinned to the door, telling you where to find me and mine.<br /><br />but not today<br /><br />today I'm going to show you some of the multitude of small things that I've been churning out since <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/shawl-together-now.html">Kiri came off the needles</a>.<br /><br />Not all - probably don't have photo space enough for that<br /><br />Herewith my dears, the four versions of <a href="http://www.woollywormhead.com/meret/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Meret</span></a> [ freebie from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Wooly</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Wormhead</span> ] that I've churned out recently:<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Meret</span> #1<br />is in Reynold's Andean Alpaca [ worsted/10ply ] that I bought in <a href="http://theweavinginn.blogspot.com/">April's</a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">destash</span> a while ago<br />2 extra repeats of the lace for maximum slouch. This one is nominally mine.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czko_pkZXW0/Th1R4Aekt8I/AAAAAAAAHjg/OLtozW3NzfI/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czko_pkZXW0/Th1R4Aekt8I/AAAAAAAAHjg/OLtozW3NzfI/s320/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628745131925747650" border="0" /></a><br />#2<br />is in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">BWM's</span> Luxury 8ply [Brick] and only one extra repeat.<br />Despite how well that colour looks on The Girl, this one is also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">mineminemine</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtCLsQwWSCA/Th1R4jbQD5I/AAAAAAAAHjo/r0O2lh5g3oI/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mtCLsQwWSCA/Th1R4jbQD5I/AAAAAAAAHjo/r0O2lh5g3oI/s320/014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628745141307051922" border="0" /></a><br />#3 is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Bendigo's</span> Alpaca Rich in Deep Plum ... and THIS one is her ladyship's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJCXiAkk5rk/Th1R4zIe6OI/AAAAAAAAHjw/uP9s5TrmKOg/s1600/062.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJCXiAkk5rk/Th1R4zIe6OI/AAAAAAAAHjw/uP9s5TrmKOg/s320/062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628745145523300578" border="0" /></a>and finally [ for now ] <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nMlEVsOP7dI/Th1R31V_CtI/AAAAAAAAHjY/AdA7WUqYiBY/s1600/008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nMlEVsOP7dI/Th1R31V_CtI/AAAAAAAAHjY/AdA7WUqYiBY/s320/008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628745128936934098" border="0" /></a><br />#4 is in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Colinette</span> Art [ <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Aran</span>/10 ply ] in Copper Beech, which is also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Nadie's</span>.<br /><br />and in case anyone is concerned about possible depletion of my stash [ yeah, right ] from all of the needle action that has occurred during my recent extended couch time,<br />need I remind you all that<br /><br />it's<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" > 2 more sleeps</span> till The Oz Wool &amp; Sheep Showhttp://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/07/decisions-decisions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-2333364416816821752Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:06:00 +00002011-07-11T17:07:22.712+10:00completely gratuitous cute grandkitten<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fGBtGRUEcFQ/ThqhJGocShI/AAAAAAAAHjQ/xsQiwtePgIY/s1600/016.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fGBtGRUEcFQ/ThqhJGocShI/AAAAAAAAHjQ/xsQiwtePgIY/s320/016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627987862123989522" border="0" /></a><br />Suki up close and personalhttp://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/07/completely-gratuitous-cute-grandkitten.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-4924262214959451972Sun, 10 Jul 2011 01:08:00 +00002011-07-10T12:07:24.803+10:00where we're atWell here I am, 7 weeks out from surgery, and to be honest not getting back to full strength as fast as I would have hoped [ Nadie says that this is because I totally SUCK at being lazy ]<br />Doesn't feel like that to me.<br /><br />Initially there was a lot of bed-time. In fact, on the advice of a multiply-surgeried friend, I spent the first couple of weeks post-surgery, in my jim-jams.<br /><br />and subsequent to that, there's been a buttload - and that's a metric butt-load, not an imperial one I'll have you know - of time spent on the couch: reading, knitting and catching up on some tellie.<br /><br />I'm convinced that the real problem is that certain things are hard wired in when you're a mum ... I'll just bend down and pick that up, wipe that bench, empty that washing machine, dishwasher, feed those animals ...<br /><br />okay okay ... yes Nadie is correct. I'm no good at taking it easy.<br /><br />Still doesn't feel like that to me. The couch is beginning to develop a definite Susan-shaped divot at my preferred spot. The garden is sadly in need of a weed [ and yes, I DID pull out a few handsfull until the achey bits told me that wasn't a brilliant idea ] and we will not even discuss the amount of winter-born detritus that needs raking, piling and burning. THAT I am resolutely ignoring ... for now.<br /><br />and no spinning either :(<br /><br />However, I did manage to get myself off the couch, albeit under the careful supervision of She Who Must Be Obeyed,otherwise known as my lovely DD.<br /><br />With SWMBO riding shotgun "just in case" I made my first tentative forays into town, to drop off Dave, and when nothing too dreadful ensued, there were a couple of [ careful ] expeditions further afield<br />... over the North Harcourt Road to Emu Creek for some baby goat snuzzles<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2_stf_QdWv4/ThjzgyYrLvI/AAAAAAAAHjA/zSSY8ttLirU/s1600/038.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2_stf_QdWv4/ThjzgyYrLvI/AAAAAAAAHjA/zSSY8ttLirU/s320/038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627515479006064370" border="0" /></a><br />[ pausing ever so briefly to admire the two lots of newly finished headgear, I would suggest that you ignore the hunched over Catsmum and focus instead on Bear 'kissing' the little Boer kid. A cynic might point out that he was probably after the milk remnants on it's cute wee face ]<br /><br />and a few days - and a few ibuprofen - later into Bendigo for the ritual raiding of the Magic Back Room at the Woollen Mill, ahead of the arrival next week of the locusts ... ahem ... the lovely ladies and gentlemen who will be decending on Spendigo for the <a href="http://www.sheepshow.com/">Wool &amp; Sheep Show</a>.<br /><br />Ten minutes at the Mill segued into some baby snuggles of a very different kind, when Nadie and I finally got to meet the newest arrival at <a href="http://balderdashbabe.blogspot.com/">Mayhem, Chaos &amp; Anarchy<br /></a>seen here modelling one of his Catsmum natal offerings - it's a lousy pic of the hat but you've got to admit that it's a cute one of Master BJ<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r736upfAg4M/ThjzhOmu_SI/AAAAAAAAHjI/3ZHhgQEVukE/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r736upfAg4M/ThjzhOmu_SI/AAAAAAAAHjI/3ZHhgQEVukE/s320/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627515486581226786" border="0" /></a><br />I was going to show you all the latest knitting but I doubt that I can top such baby cuteness so I will leave you herehttp://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/07/where-were-at.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-6404305943078958634Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:10:00 +00002011-07-06T18:17:50.152+10:00Ta Da !!<a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/shawl-together-now.html">As I pointed out last week</a>, there's a huge difference between unblocked lace and the way it looks once it's thoroughly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wetted</span> out and well stretched on the blocking wires<br /><br />and even better once it's completely dry and being modelled by my darling girl:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-davg-0hVES0/ThQYpzRzzSI/AAAAAAAAHiQ/tXnM1RkuS-o/s1600/024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-davg-0hVES0/ThQYpzRzzSI/AAAAAAAAHiQ/tXnM1RkuS-o/s320/024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626148940911201570" border="0" /></a>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-2181702768809993362Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:37:00 +00002011-07-04T07:58:30.000+10:00The things one finds...when one has finally given up all hope of ever finding them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dateline:</span> yesterday<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location:</span> my wardrobe<br />where the urgent need for a knee brace [ I need to train Bear out of his habit of jumping enthusiastically into the back of my leg when he wants to play 'fetch' ] had me searching the innards of the tote bag that I only take to clogging classes. It is just the right size for a couple of pairs of tap shoes, some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CDs</span>, spare socks, some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bandaids</span> ... and an elastic knee bandage brace thingy.<br /><br />Knee braces are a necessity for those of us, well past the first flush of youth, who still insist on engaging in high impact pursuits like Appalachian Tap, so I rarely bother to take it out of that bag. I mean, I know where it is when I need it, right?<br /><br />but<br />what with the surgery [ and the run-up to the surgery ] there hasn't been an awful lot of clogging in my recent past, and no need to wear knee protection, so the bag has been stashed away at the top of the wardrobe.<br /><br /><a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/evolution.html">A couple of weeks ago</a>, I was bemoaning the loss of a pair of fingerless gloves that I'd managed to misplace before I'd even photographed or blogged about them.<br />I hunted high<br />and low<br />I checked every bag, basket, drawer and coat pocket that might conceivably harbour a pair of rolled up gloves, I even checked under the bed and that space under the driver's seat in the car that attracts old shopping dockets and stray mints.<br />No joy.<br />It didn't cross my mind for a single second to haul down the dance bag. It was completely off the mental radar.<br />So of course that is <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">precisely</span> where the missing gloves were hiding, along with the matching cowl that I don't actually remember making ... and the brace of course.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nlt3aVtAn1Y/ThBU6drD7BI/AAAAAAAAHiA/GzzmnIqSfxY/s1600/025.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nlt3aVtAn1Y/ThBU6drD7BI/AAAAAAAAHiA/GzzmnIqSfxY/s320/025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625089297960135698" border="0" /></a>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/07/things-one-finds.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-3090482433705747766Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:05:00 +00002011-07-01T12:55:55.621+10:00and another addiction is born<a href="http://balderdashbabe.blogspot.com/">Tara</a> was responsible for my well-documented love of the Forest Canopy Shawl.<a href="http://balderdashbabe.blogspot.com/2008/12/jolly-fat-man-cometh.html"> This is where it started.</a><br /><br />and if you've been with me for a while you know that my deep desire <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl">for</a> one<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl-2"> of</a> my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl-3">own</a> has <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl-4">actually</a> resulted<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl-5"> in</a> seven <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl-6">of</a> the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/catsmum/forest-canopy-shawl-7">beggars</a><br /><br />That first one was pin blocked before I acquired the wires [ well that, and the fact that I wanted to show it off at knitting group before it was truly bone dry] which means that it 'relaxed' a bit during that first wearing, pretty much lost the points and therefore doesn't really have the drama of all its younger siblings.<br />Anyway, I'm seriously considering reblocking that one ... one day ... when I have nothing better to do.<br /><br />Now, it seems that I have passed on my love of that particular pattern unto the next victim:<br /><br /><br />You probably don't know my quilting friend Val-from-FerntreeGully.<br />We've known each other for quite a long time now, and though she never comments directly here on the blog, she always emails me with her responses.<br /><br />Anyway, pushed to action by all of the shawls that I've made over the last year or so, and in particular, the aforementioned Forest Canopys, Ms Val has just finished one of her very, very own, and here 'tis in all its glory.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7PXaWQvT8xM/TgxqUT6wuLI/AAAAAAAAHh4/apBzTfYsesg/s1600/Valshawl.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7PXaWQvT8xM/TgxqUT6wuLI/AAAAAAAAHh4/apBzTfYsesg/s320/Valshawl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623986931855571122" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As she doesn't have a blog, I asked her if I could share it with y'all :)<br /><br />unidentified 8ply[DK]yarn on 4mm needles<br /><br />and [ big suprise ] she's already on the lookout for the right yarn for the next one :)http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/and-another-addiction-is-born.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-2723052675859342858Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:20:00 +00002011-06-28T21:06:00.591+10:00[Sh]awl Together NowLast year could be justifiably decribed as The Year Of The Shawl<br /><br />I finished 11 of them completely from start to finish [ plus the Neverending Baby Shawl that had been on the go since 2006 and finally finished Feb 2010 ]<br /><br />... and it's not like I kept them all for my own wardrobe ... several of them ended up as presents for my nearest and dearest, so it's fair to say that I haven't quite made all the shawls that I hope to just yet.<br /><br />Around Easter 2010, I finished a shawlette version of <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ft_8wTF92_s/S7hg5zLX46I/AAAAAAAAGbw/JMeK7CqVF3Y/s1600/easter+019.JPG">Kiri</a> and have always intended to make another larger one.<br /><br />and it needed to be <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">red</span></span><br />and preferably finished before The Australian Wool &amp; Sheep Show at Bendigo in a couple of weeks<br /><br />so that's what I've been doing over the last couple of weeks - <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-do-non-readers-cope.html">when I haven't been reading</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PK169qp7IXQ/Tgmr-m4czEI/AAAAAAAAHhY/yo9lJDVJEqI/s1600/021.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PK169qp7IXQ/Tgmr-m4czEI/AAAAAAAAHhY/yo9lJDVJEqI/s320/021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623214701826329666" border="0" /></a>MissC made it her job to ensure that the shawl-in-gestation was thoroughly CATscanned<br /><br /><br />Anyway, this is what it looked like before blocking ... kinda wafflish and fluted<br />but what a difference a warm bath makes<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cIAFu2ucg6E/Tgmr-wRIqHI/AAAAAAAAHhg/rzlI8aDkl_U/s1600/025.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cIAFu2ucg6E/Tgmr-wRIqHI/AAAAAAAAHhg/rzlI8aDkl_U/s320/025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623214704345786482" border="0" /></a> here 't'is on the blocking wires<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-caldZFB53vg/Tgmr_ITyJvI/AAAAAAAAHho/_4n_Rnw4-x0/s1600/027.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-caldZFB53vg/Tgmr_ITyJvI/AAAAAAAAHho/_4n_Rnw4-x0/s320/027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623214710799345394" border="0" /></a><br />hardly looks like the same project, does it ?<br /><br />pattern:<br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kiri">Kiri</a> [ rav link ] &amp; if you aren't on ravelry, you can find a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">free</span> PDF on <a href="http://www.alltangledup.com/">All Tangled Up</a><br /><br /><br />needles<br />KPs 5mm &amp; 6mm for the cast-off<br /><br />yarn:<br />Socky Goodness by<a href="http://www.blogger.com/mayhemandchaos.com.au%20about"> Mayhem &amp; Chaos</a>[ aka Tara ], and a small amount of leftover Aarlan Arwetta dyed brown to finish out the border when I ran short ... because heaven forbid that I should pull out several thousand stitches to go back one full repeat, and then redo the whole border. Serendipity. I like the subtle dark edge.<br /><br />anyone else got something on the needles for Spendigo?http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/shawl-together-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-8542753472830378214Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:52:00 +00002011-06-26T22:00:14.598+10:00For the cats' domestic staffIf, like me, you are in servitude to a feline or two ... or three ... or ..., you may appreciate what Chris found for your <a href="http://buttersafe.com/2010/08/12/a-gift-from-a-cat/">jollification</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FtxH0G6L9Is/Tgce6TXJsCI/AAAAAAAAHhQ/AWw4RW50VpA/s1600/2009_0413miscellaneous0299.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FtxH0G6L9Is/Tgce6TXJsCI/AAAAAAAAHhQ/AWw4RW50VpA/s320/2009_0413miscellaneous0299.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622496646773977122" border="0" /></a>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-cats-domestic-staff.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-7348814813873972805Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:19:00 +00002011-06-21T18:16:07.973+10:00How do non-readers cope?Just try being stuck at home and indoors with orders to 'take it easy' and 'not to lift more than a couple of kilos' for a month and a half.<br /><br />Okay, the first week or so, it's all about the rest and the pain relief, and the 'being looked after' [ thankyou Nadie ], but after a while that begins to get old.<br />There's only so much tv that one can watch<br />and it hurts to sit at the computer for more than a few minutes [ stitches ... don't ask ]<br /><br />so how do people stave off total boredom if they don't knit ... or quilt ... or read ?<br /><br />I really have no idea [ and don't say gardening, cos I can't do that yet either ]<br /><br />Anyway, there has been plenty of reading going on, as evidenced by the fact that I'm up to book 60 for the year, and that doesn't count the ones that I started but gave up on halfway through.<br /><br />It may seem that I'm getting desparate for blogfodder when I post lists like this. but that's just so not true.<br />There is method to my madness.<br />Promise.<br /><br />Y'see, every time I post my booklist, <span style="font-weight: bold;">someone</span> who has bothered to wade through it all chimes in with some fabulous author that I haven't discovered yet.<br />Recently I've been working my way through two authors that I wouldn't have found were it not for<a href="http://sheepishannie.blogspot.com/"> rave reviews from Sheepish Annie</a> ... Cassandra Clare and Mike Carey specifically.<br />As it happens I was able to get the Clares from the Library, but they only had the first of the Careys ... which turned out just fine, because I liked him enough to plonk down my dineros to buy the series [ including the one I'd just read ]<br /><br />So, in the hope that some more great reads might be forthcoming, here's the 2011 booklist to date:<br /><table class="forum_posts" id="forum_posts"><tbody id="current_posts"><tr class="read mine" id="forum_post_23"><td class="who" id="forum_post_42491967_who"><div id="forum_post_42491967_user"><div class="posts"> </div> </div><br /></td> <td id="forum_post_42491967_guts"> <a name="23" style="margin-top: -20px;"> </a> <div class="summary"> <div class="indicator" id="indicator_23" style="display: none;"><img src="http://style3.ravelrycache.com/images/circle-ball-dark-antialiased.gif" /></div> <div class="time"><br /><abbr title="Monday, January 3 at 9:35 AM"></abbr> </div> <div class="irt"> </div> </div> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/book-challenge/1455835/1-25#23" class="post_number" id="anchor_23"></a> <div class="body forum_post_body"> <p><strong>January/February</strong><br />I Shall Wear Midnight - Terry Pratchett<br />Changes - Jim Butcher<br />A Kiss of Shadows - Laurell K Hamilton<br />A Caress of Twighlight - LKH<br />Seduced By Moonlight - LKH<br />A Stroke of Midnight - LKH<br />Mistral’s Kiss - LKH<br />A Lick of Frost - LKH<br />Swallowing Darkness - LKH<br />Divine Misdemeanor - LKH<br />Oryx and Crake - Margaret Attwood<br />Dead Over Heels - Charlaine Harris<br />Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K Hamilton<br />The Laughing Corpse - LKH<br />Circus of the Damned - LKH<br />The Lunatic Cafe - LKH<br />Bloody Bones - LKH<br />The Killing Dance - LKH<br />Burnt Offerings - LKH<br />Blue Moon - LKH<br />Obsidian Butterfly - LKH<br />Narcissus In Chains - LKH<br />Cerulean Sins - LKH<br />Incubus Dreams - LKH</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>March</strong><br />The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson<br />The Girl Who Played With Fire - SL<br />Many Bloody Returns - Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher et al<br />The Harlequin - LKH<br />Dark Lover - JR Ward<br />A Touch Of Dead - CH <strong>Book 30</strong><br />The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest - SL<br />Merlin - Stephen Lawhead</p> <p><strong>April</strong><br />Murder By The Slice - Livia Washburn<br />Goodies Rule OK<br />Wild Sheep Chase - Haruki Murakami<br />Dance Dance dance - HM</p> <p><strong>May</strong><br />Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare<br />City Of Bones - CC<br />City of Ashes - CC<br />Side Jobs - Jim Butcher <strong>Book 40</strong><br />Keep The Aspidistra Flying - George Orwell<br />Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs<br />City Of Glass - CC<br />The Devil You Know - Mike Carey<br />Death Du Jour - KR<br />Deadly Decisions - KR<br />Dark Side - Belinda Bauer<br />Rite - Tad Williams</p> <p><strong>June</strong><br />Fatal Voyage - KR<br />Grave Secrets - KR <strong>Book 50</strong><br />Bare Bones - KR<br />Devil Bones - KR<br />Blacklands - BB<br />Mint Juleps, Mayhem and Murder -Sara Rosett<br />A Cottswold Killing - Rebecca Tope<br />Bones To Ashes - KR<br />Indigo Dying - Susan Wittig Albert<br />Fever Of The Bone - Val McDermid<br />Vicious Circle - Mike Carey</p> <p><strong>reading</strong><br />Dead Man’s Boots - MC <strong>Book 60</strong></p><p><br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>so any suggestions ???<br /></strong></p>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-do-non-readers-cope.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-8155142786040060317Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:05:00 +00002011-06-18T09:15:51.616+10:00The More Things Change ...the more they stay the same:<br /><br />Bear and Sophie July 2008<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dt4lkp1DV7Q/TfvfNAmmu4I/AAAAAAAAHhI/Gf9YJc4VLwo/s1600/2008_0726miscellaneous0111.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dt4lkp1DV7Q/TfvfNAmmu4I/AAAAAAAAHhI/Gf9YJc4VLwo/s320/2008_0726miscellaneous0111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619330374668041090" border="0" /></a>Bear and Sophie June 2011<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfL7pZu2YFc/TfvfMBWX8LI/AAAAAAAAHg4/9rw1AOsbGRg/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfL7pZu2YFc/TfvfMBWX8LI/AAAAAAAAHg4/9rw1AOsbGRg/s320/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619330357688529074" border="0" /></a>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-things-change.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-8467281167103639519Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:07:00 +00002011-06-15T16:05:41.505+10:00EvolutionWe all know how one thing often leads to another.<br /><br />well this particular chain starts with a<a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=86&amp;d_id=10&amp;lang=us"> simple little [ free ] headband pattern</a>, that my friend Robyne-with-an-e found on the Drops website about a year ago. As is the way of such things, it quickly went viral within our Purl's Princesses knitting group with pretty much everyone - myself included - making at least a couple of them.<br /><br />Now the thing that caught my fancy was the clever way that the increases and decreases were worked within the purled sections of the rib, but to be honest, I wanted to try the idea on something else.<br />So I trauled through my collection of stitch dictionaries and found a nice - and still simple - lacy rib.<br />The next step was to swatch a set of increases in an 8ply[dk] and to block it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e1EAQg7SL3M/TfhJoTJOz0I/AAAAAAAAHgw/CKkAlEDbHJ8/s1600/007%2B%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e1EAQg7SL3M/TfhJoTJOz0I/AAAAAAAAHgw/CKkAlEDbHJ8/s320/007%2B%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618321491827281730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A little bit of maths and a fair bit of luck / intuition led to this beret [ modelled here by Tara ] <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ms752gFmbjY/TfhD_JB5vpI/AAAAAAAAHgY/mSNLZk7giBM/s1600/002%2B%25288%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ms752gFmbjY/TfhD_JB5vpI/AAAAAAAAHgY/mSNLZk7giBM/s320/002%2B%25288%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618315287179411090" border="0" /></a>with all the shaping within the purl sections a la the original drops headband<br /><br />then a matching pair of wristwarmers<br /><br />You'll just have to take my word for it that, after languishing in the bottom of a knitting basket for half a year, they did in fact get sewn up about 2 months ago, and have been worn a couple of times.<br />The reason that you'll have to take my word for it is that I appear to have <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">lost</span> the beggars.<br />Can't find them in any of the obvious places<br />or even in any of the totally ridiculous ones<br />bugger<br />so basically the only 'proof' I have that they ever existed, is this fairly c****y pic of one of them in its unsewn-up state, and the second one on the needles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jDJlETBsOnc/TfhD-QqTGPI/AAAAAAAAHgI/lIvc0LNSq3s/s1600/005%2B%25286%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jDJlETBsOnc/TfhD-QqTGPI/AAAAAAAAHgI/lIvc0LNSq3s/s320/005%2B%25286%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618315272048023794" border="0" /></a><br />oh, and they're not pink either ... more a deep cherry red.<br />Moving on<br />I made a second and much longer pair for The Girl in BWM Allegro 8ply [DK].<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pHFttUX1VLg/TfhD_-TlqQI/AAAAAAAAHgg/d8MA330vIJ8/s1600/DSCF6365.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pHFttUX1VLg/TfhD_-TlqQI/AAAAAAAAHgg/d8MA330vIJ8/s320/DSCF6365.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618315301480671490" border="0" /></a> You can see the way that the increases have been worked in.<br />Needless to say, the girl was rather happy with how these turned out ...<br /><br />and before you could say 'Flashdance' this led somewhat inevitably to a pair of legwarmers, also in Allegro.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9-iY1t-HJKU/TfhEAPmT8CI/AAAAAAAAHgo/2cQmch2YPog/s1600/DSCF6222.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9-iY1t-HJKU/TfhEAPmT8CI/AAAAAAAAHgo/2cQmch2YPog/s320/DSCF6222.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618315306122604578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Was I finished with this lace yet ?<br />Na-uh!<br /><br />It occurred to me that I could probably stretch the pattern a bit by introducing an extra row each of knit and purl to make it a little less lacy<br />and I did gave that one ball of a lovely soft sage green [ also from BWM ]<br />so<br /><br />the sequence - currently - <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/04/finished-object.html">ends with this slouchy hat</a><br /><br />Now if I could just find those blasted fingerless gloves!http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/evolution.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-6432477854873436964Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:09:00 +00002011-06-08T15:07:09.538+10:00I've lost track... of what I've shown you and what has gone undocumented<br /><br />so, after some blog perusal just to jog the little grey cells, here's <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">some</span> of the stuff you haven't seen:<br /><br />First up, you might remember the <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/another-finished-object-which-needs.html">red slouch hat I made for Nadie</a>. At the time I said that I was going to make a blue one for myself<br />which I did<br />and then the girl hinted strongly that she wouldn't mind one<br />so now there are twins.<br /><br />BWM Luxury 8ply in Junior Navy<br />KP Harmonies 4.5mm and 3.75mm<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-veHmznr-H6g/Te73hx1hWCI/AAAAAAAAHfY/iZop8q_JcLA/s1600/DSCF6363.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-veHmznr-H6g/Te73hx1hWCI/AAAAAAAAHfY/iZop8q_JcLA/s320/DSCF6363.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615697945063151650" border="0" /></a><br />Which is just as well, because a certain person has managed to misplace hers twice already and has had to borrow mine<br />which is okay<br />not as though I've been going out anywhere<br /><br />and then she expressed a strong desire for a blue scarf<br />I was going to say matching scarf, but it doesn't exactly<br /><br />match that is<br /><br />it's the same colour as the hat, but is a completely different lace pattern ... the same Grandmothers Lace variation that I 'unvented' for the <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2008/03/free-pattern.html">Frothy Gothy Wristwarmers. </a><br /><br />DD already has a matching set of those Wristwarmers and scarf in country red Sirdar Snuggly DK. They were made a couple of years ago and by happy co inky dink are close enough in colour as makes no nevermind to the BMW 8ply Luxury in Ruby that I used for her slouchy hat version1.<br /><br />The red one btw has four eyelet rows per point [ so 8 pattern rows ] and this one has 6/12, so the points are a little larger. Not precisely what The Girl had in mind, but mama likes it/<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmr-OSlGJNE/Te73heKnuNI/AAAAAAAAHfQ/Zjzkd43NbD0/s1600/DSCF6361.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmr-OSlGJNE/Te73heKnuNI/AAAAAAAAHfQ/Zjzkd43NbD0/s320/DSCF6361.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615697939782940882" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-km2v1uXqY64/Te73g6Wd8aI/AAAAAAAAHfI/QDJ2gM0ei38/s1600/DSCF6359.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-km2v1uXqY64/Te73g6Wd8aI/AAAAAAAAHfI/QDJ2gM0ei38/s320/DSCF6359.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615697930168955298" border="0" /></a>what else?<br />well, the<a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/week-in-life.html"> Hair Of the Dog</a> handspun shawl is waiting for me to recover enough to spin more alpaca/samoyed, so it's in hibernation at probably about half finished<br /><br />I crocheted a different shawl while I was waiting but no pix yet, so I guess that's a post for another day<br /><br />Some of the<a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/04/more-fibre-goodness.html"> alpaca/kid angora/corrie cross handspun from the Goat Show demo at Easter</a> is now a pretty basic, rustic lookung beanie for David<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpTh5jXcZas/Te7-oLEkMoI/AAAAAAAAHf4/1c8D0Fo9xSY/s1600/DSCF6395.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpTh5jXcZas/Te7-oLEkMoI/AAAAAAAAHf4/1c8D0Fo9xSY/s320/DSCF6395.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615705751497749122" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uGzegznQEzA/Te7-on-6U8I/AAAAAAAAHgA/1IrY5HLiPNM/s1600/DSCF6390.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uGzegznQEzA/Te7-on-6U8I/AAAAAAAAHgA/1IrY5HLiPNM/s320/DSCF6390.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615705759258661826" border="0" /></a>and then there was ...<br />and...<br /><br />okay stopping now before anyone has a cerebral meltdownhttp://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/ive-lost-track.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-2325328716255005913Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:21:00 +00002011-06-03T09:22:24.743+10:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yRjOhEZ-3fc/TegbJoqcqOI/AAAAAAAAHe0/nhL3cc91oCs/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yRjOhEZ-3fc/TegbJoqcqOI/AAAAAAAAHe0/nhL3cc91oCs/s320/001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613766787865553122" border="0" /></a>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-1351555247275587442Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:01:00 +00002011-06-01T22:14:34.512+10:00a week in the lifeWell, it's just been one hectic and giddy thing after another here Chez Catsmum.<br /><br />There was the sitting<br />sitting and knitting<br />lying-down and knitting<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XtIHjEteDh4/TeYs2BXe-LI/AAAAAAAAHes/aVu9e897ncU/s1600/DSCF6351.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XtIHjEteDh4/TeYs2BXe-LI/AAAAAAAAHes/aVu9e897ncU/s320/DSCF6351.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613223292155394226" border="0" /></a><br />reading - both the sitting and the lying-down variety<br />watching seasons 6,7 &amp; 8 of NCIS, 1 &amp; 2 of Glee, and slabs of heroes and Dr Who, in both the sitting and the prone position<br />there was a certain amount of 'persuading certain animals that I am not a cushion<br />... or a springboard'<br /><br />AND for a change of pace<br />there was knitting<br /><br /><br />Oh, what a life I lead!http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/week-in-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-6423896981739890535Tue, 24 May 2011 23:01:00 +00002011-05-25T10:15:20.149+10:00possibly TMIThanks all for the good wishes, both here and on FB<br /><br />As it transpired, six days of heaving up my toes after the massive surgeries of '09 [ because no-one had made the connection that I was having what is euphemistically referred to as an 'adverse reaction' to morphine / oxycontin, as a result of which, they kept me well topped up with more of the same ] didn't do my then newly eviscerated insides any favours<br /><br />quelle suprise !!<br /><br />anyway, the net result was last weeks reprise repair of some of the same portions of my battered carcass ...<br /><br />Apparently I am something of an anaesthetist's nightmare now [ three of the fetching, red alert bracelets, each with multiple entries ] ... there were no general anaesthetics that he was willing to risk so I had a spinal.<br /><br />As promised, I don't remember anything between having the ice cold pink stuff washed over my back and waking up with everything below the bellybutton not answering directions.<br />It was a very strange experience as bits and pieces came back on line.<br />At one point I could make my legs respond, but not the blocks of heavy ice that were subbing for my feet/toes and tush.<br /><br />There were no private rooms available initially, so I had the 'pleasure' of sharing with a locally notorious, extraordinarily demanding, little old lady who was both physically and verbally incontinent and deaf [ loud<span style="font-size:130%;">loud</span><span style="font-size:180%;">loud</span> tv] , and a fragile young lady going through some health and lifestyle issues that were totally none of my or any one else's business, but which, because of the flimsy illusion of privacy offered by a drawn curtain, we were all fully aware of.<br /><br />After three days of feeling like a voyeur [ and 2 hours sleep a night due to little old lady's nocturnal wanderings ] I was less than sparkling, so one particular staff member iniatiated the opening of a closed 4-bed ward just for me.<br /><br />It would have inconvenienced the cleaning staff who suddenly had one more bathroom to cope with, but, to tell you the truth, I was past caring.<br /><br />A couple of days of peace and quiet ensued and I came home on Monday.<br /><br />I'm trying to behave: bedrest with periods of moving around, trying not to 'just pick up this' or 'move that' and to find the balance between adequate pain medication [ I am invincible, I can do anything ... ] and somewhat less than adequate [ owowowowowow ]<br />It's a delicate dance known, I now realise, to all who have ever had to recover from major surgery.<br /><br />I am:<br />reading [ Cassandra Clare: City of Glass, and during the last week, Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs, Keep The Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell and Side Jobs by Jim Butcher ]<br /><br />knitting [ currently a scarf for Nadie - hospital knitting was a shawl from last week's <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/hair-of-dog.html">alpaca/samoyed,</a> now temporarily on hold until I am up to spinning some more ]<br /><br />and catching up on 3 seasons of NCIS<br /><br />and you should all make yourselves a pair of<a href="http://mindie.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/duffers-a-quick-and-easy-19-row-felted-slipper-pattern/"> these</a> [ fabulous freebie pattern from Mindie ].<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fxlhVg92TnA/TdxFCZ_ad0I/AAAAAAAAHek/6cYAkgmySBk/s1600/DSCF6131.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fxlhVg92TnA/TdxFCZ_ad0I/AAAAAAAAHek/6cYAkgmySBk/s320/DSCF6131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610435143435712322" border="0" /></a><br />Pattern: 19 row slippers from Knitting If Not Eccentric<br />Yarn: vintage Thorobred Celtic 12 ply /bulky pure wool from New Zealand<br />Needles: KP Options 8mm<br />Mods: I used a slip1, k2tog, psso as the left leaning double decrease instead of the SSSK, and added a few rows of garter at the cuff before casting off.<br /><br />and the colour is actually not as grey blue as this nightime picture would imply. It's both clearer and brighter.<br /><br />I made Nadie's first and then a 'taking to hospital' pair.<br /><br />So that's m'week!http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/possibly-tmi.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-3427915263438875358Fri, 20 May 2011 05:59:00 +00002011-05-20T16:08:09.943+10:00Doing wellHi all, Nadie here.<br /><br />As some of you may know, mum went in for surgery yesterday (re-doing part of what was done 18 months ago). She has come out of it very well, and will most likely be home on Sunday. In the meantime, anyone local who wishes to visit her at Castlemaine hospital is welcome to do so.http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/doing-well.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-1433571828610828221Wed, 18 May 2011 10:26:00 +00002011-05-18T20:28:57.108+10:00Only in Castlemaine [again]<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qRu-s7Jlu0c" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />the full vid of our flash sing during the State Festival<br /><br />I'm at 2:42 and Nadie at 3:47http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/only-in-castlemaine-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-2530303526492801202Sun, 15 May 2011 22:17:00 +00002011-05-16T20:07:08.642+10:00A Hair of the DogJust quickly<br />[ because Blogger has been temperamental, and also it's past time for me to jump in the shower and do all those things associated with getting on with my day ]<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wacgiAGO-TU/TdBRXmRbk_I/AAAAAAAAHec/RiPZhrKxLPI/s1600/DSCF6329.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 162px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wacgiAGO-TU/TdBRXmRbk_I/AAAAAAAAHec/RiPZhrKxLPI/s320/DSCF6329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607071001928766450" border="0" /></a><br />this is 220 metres of pale blue-grey alpaca from the back room at BWM with some of last week's wonderful white [obviously] Samoyed. This was seasoned with a hint of Wendy Dennis' dark brown raw Polwarth fleece.<br />Not the easiest mix to work with, but my fondness for working with alpaca stood me in good stead with the puppy dawg wool which has a similar feel and 'handleability' to the alpaca.<br /><br />The whole lot was lightly drum carded, before spinning on my Sheridan Celtic<br /><br />... initially the Celtic and I were having some 'issues' but a clean-and-oil in all the right places worked wonders for her 'tude. Shouldn't be surprised I guess. A good oiling does me the world of good :)<br />Anyway, the resultant yarn varies quite a bit in weight, mainly dependant on whether it was the stuff I spun on Saturday night, before I figured out the problems with the wheel, or yesterday's lot.<br />Some of it is almost an aran/worsted, most is about what we Aussies would call 8ply [ DK or Sport ] and some of it is about sock/4ply.<br /><br />Yarn with character !!<br /><br />and now I'm late ... buggerit<br /><br />EDITED TO ADD:<br /><br />Okay so here are the thoughts that occurred after I pushed 'publish':<br /><br />The yarn is a 2ply construction. Only one of those plies is the alpaca/samoyed/polwarth mix and the other is the carded alpaca. You can hardly see the dark brown wool but it has added a certain little extra something.<br />The magnificent animals whose wool it is are the Aussie Champion '<a href="http://www.snowbrooksamoyeds.com/taj.html">Taj'</a> and his mum '<a href="http://www.snowbrooksamoyeds.com/grace.html">Grace</a>'. If you'd like to find out more about them, you'll find<a href="http://www.snowbrooksamoyeds.com/"> the Snowbrook Samoyeds here<br /></a>http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/hair-of-dog.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-3401988294009131697Thu, 12 May 2011 13:47:00 +00002011-05-14T06:47:58.987+10:00And a cast of ... severalSo do you all remember me mentioning the <a href="http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/04/castlemaine-state-festival-2011-final.html">flash sing at the IGA</a> during the State Festival ?<br />Here 't'is [ most of it anyway - filmed on someone's phone, so all things considered the quality's not too bad ]<br />The sharp of eye may be able to find me in the midst of the pack but poor Nadie, being somewhat vertically challenged, is invisible.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YE2DzqEuHtU" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /><br />Some of the more "innovative" harmonies were supplied by shoppers who just had to join in.<br />I can't decide whether my favourite bit is Judy &amp; Janey dancing or the bemused 'checkout chick'http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/cast-of-several.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-3334578791917841032Wed, 11 May 2011 05:43:00 +00002011-05-11T15:49:33.815+10:00Guess Who's Three Today ?This is Bear when his adopted [Cats]mum came back from town without the obligatory birthday bag of big meaty bones<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gkhStRRZmoY/TcoiLZGERZI/AAAAAAAAHeU/4IIZbgeA_YY/s1600/DSCF6242.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gkhStRRZmoY/TcoiLZGERZI/AAAAAAAAHeU/4IIZbgeA_YY/s320/DSCF6242.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605330265326241170" border="0" /></a>not impressed Mum !<br /><br />a liberal ingestion of leftover roast pork has since returned Bear to his customary happy selfhttp://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/guess-whos-three-today.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-6409688710812415633Mon, 09 May 2011 07:19:00 +00002011-05-09T18:34:46.725+10:00this is what a box of dog looks likeWhen Nadie and I were at the Goat Show over Easter, we had an intriguing conversation with a lovely lady who breeds Australian Champion Samoyeds about the possibility of spinning her dogs wool. She went on to order some Tupperware from Nadie, the delivery of which sort of clinched the need for a visit.<br /><br />I mean really<br />talk about your no brainer<br /><br />Offer me free fibre <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">and</span> the chance to get up close and personal with a couple of the most stunning canines you are ever likely to see [ although you're NOT likely to see them because I failed signally to garner photographic evidence of their magnificence ... bad Catsmum ... BAD ]<br /><br />and the day got even better as we managed to combine it with a return bout of baby boer goat snuzzling over at Emu Creek<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4JWV-KMsd6c/TceaieA0eBI/AAAAAAAAHeM/hWfY6TxDxs8/s1600/DSCF6203.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4JWV-KMsd6c/TceaieA0eBI/AAAAAAAAHeM/hWfY6TxDxs8/s320/DSCF6203.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604618178248603666" border="0" /></a>this is actually a pic I took last week but they were just as cute today :)<br /><br />a prettty good day all round then:<br />Nadie and I got sniffed/slobbered on and muddied by assorted cats, dogs and goats<br />Bear visited his Mummy and sister - but I forgot to buy them some special bones to celebrate Bear &amp; Molly's third birthday on Wednesday [ again BAD BAD Catsmum! ]<br />and<br />this is what a boxful of freshly shampooed-and-groomed dawg looks like<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGmIMFepl8U/TceV6YEvgnI/AAAAAAAAHd8/i2w2KQSm5G8/s1600/DSCF6213.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGmIMFepl8U/TceV6YEvgnI/AAAAAAAAHd8/i2w2KQSm5G8/s320/DSCF6213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604613091413164658" border="0" /></a>I think I have a date with my carder!http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/this-is-what-box-of-dog-looks-like.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-360895827889605159Mon, 02 May 2011 08:21:00 +00002011-05-02T18:36:03.369+10:00another finished object [ which needs a name ]Nadie wanted a slouchy hat<br />I felt like playing with a particular lace<br />This was the result<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puvl8BoiW4A/Tb5pyBcLCiI/AAAAAAAAHds/xQv2nDdtqDc/s1600/DSCF6137.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puvl8BoiW4A/Tb5pyBcLCiI/AAAAAAAAHds/xQv2nDdtqDc/s320/DSCF6137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602031294596450850" border="0" /></a><br />and I like it so much I'm about to cast on one for myself in blue<br /><br />pattern - improvised<br />needles - 3.75mm &amp; 4.5mm KP Harmony<br />yarn - Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 8ply in Ruby<br /><br />This isn't by any means the first time I've used Luxury, which is a nice, soft, machine washable little workhorse of a yarn with only one drawback. It grows like nobody's business the first time it hits water. Now if one happens to<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" > know</span> that, one can [to a certain extent ] allow for it, but it does still make 'improvising' in this yarn a bit of a gamble size wise. This time, with the help of some swatching and some maths, I pretty much got the desired result ... even if The Girl does still think it's a little loose.<br /><br /> anyone want the pattern ?http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/another-finished-object-which-needs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32145603.post-4248236739014240878Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:35:00 +00002011-04-28T18:09:20.761+10:00More Fibre goodnessI don't know that I ever actually explained to you how I ended up spending a large portion of Easter at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bendigo</span> Showgrounds, but in a nutshell the story goes like this:<br /><br />The denizens of Emu Creek, otherwise known as Pete-and-Brenda, are keen Chrysanthemum growers as well as their more usual guise of gurus of all things <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">goaty</span>.<br />Anyway, a year, or so, ago they decided that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bendigo</span> really needed a Goat Show. I mean really, really, reallly [ no arguments from me ] and the easiest way to do it without headaches over venues and public liability insurance and the rest, was to create a goat sub-group in the local Chrysanthemum Club and ride along as part of the long-standing Easter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Chryssie</span> show at the Prince Of Wales Showgrounds - better known to readers of any knitting blog based in Oz as the home of the Australian Wool &amp; Sheep Show. [ prize for most run-on and parenthetical sentence of the month ]<br />As is often the case, someone who fully intended to be there, selling her spinning <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wheels</span>, fibre and yarns, had to bow out fairly late in the piece, and all the advertising mentioned spinning, so a spinner there had to be, even if she was only there to demo... and guess who is the only spinner that Pete-and-Brenda could call to mind ???<br />Yes<br />got it in one<br /><br />And actually, now that I've written that, ONE advertisement came out touting the presence of " sinners" as I found out on the Saturday when one smartypants enquired " Are you one of them sinners I was reading about?"<br /><br />Anyway<br />this is the alpaca/ kid angora singles that I managed to get spun over the two days of constant interruptions - like having to go pet sweet, snuggly caprines and camelids <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DeXNFIOlIh8/TbkZlvinMwI/AAAAAAAAHdU/4JA6ipIXywU/s1600/DSCF6113.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DeXNFIOlIh8/TbkZlvinMwI/AAAAAAAAHdU/4JA6ipIXywU/s320/DSCF6113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600535747819418370" border="0" /></a><br />this is how it looked on Sunday night when I plied it with a Corriedale-cross singles that was hanging around begging to be used<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hajiGmePNgs/TbkZme8goJI/AAAAAAAAHdk/iaFT1Jv0krc/s1600/DSCF6115.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hajiGmePNgs/TbkZme8goJI/AAAAAAAAHdk/iaFT1Jv0krc/s320/DSCF6115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600535760544506002" border="0" /></a><br />and the plied, wetted-and-whacked end product<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-13YaLA0tZQc/TbkZl5-gPfI/AAAAAAAAHdc/bXFu986BUQk/s1600/DSCF6118.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-13YaLA0tZQc/TbkZl5-gPfI/AAAAAAAAHdc/bXFu986BUQk/s320/DSCF6118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600535750620757490" border="0" /></a>Those lumpy bumpy bits all seemed to happen when I was trying to answer questions<br /><br />as did any and all yarn breakages<br /><br />any perfect spinning occurred when I was not being scrutinised<br /><br />of course<br /><br />and we will not even begin to discuss the subject of how one copes with the discovery [ beginning of day 2 ] that one has left the [ absolutely vital ] orifice hook sitting in yesterday's bag on the coffee table 50 kilometres away !!!!http://susaninstitches.blogspot.com/2011/04/more-fibre-goodness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (catsmum)3